rki.news | Xinhua
LONDON/BRUSSELS, April 16: Britain’s automotive industry has urged the European Union to revise its “Made in Europe” industrial policy, warning that excluding the United Kingdom could disrupt supply chains and weaken competitiveness.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) called on the EU to amend its Industrial Accelerator Act to ensure British-made vehicles, batteries and components receive equal treatment with EU-produced goods.
The appeal came during meetings in Brussels between SMMT representatives and EU officials, highlighting the importance of the Britain-EU automotive partnership valued at around 80 billion euros annually.
SMMT said Britain remains the EU’s largest export market for passenger cars, while the EU is Britain’s biggest automotive trading partner. EU manufacturers export about 39.7 billion euros worth of vehicles to Britain each year, with component exports totaling 9.1 billion euros.
Industry leaders warned that excluding Britain from incentives linked to green corporate fleets and CO2 credits could hurt manufacturers, reduce output and disrupt integrated supply chains.
They also cautioned that such measures may raise consumer prices, reduce choice and weaken investment during Europe’s transition to electric vehicles.
SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes said the policy risks reversing progress in electric vehicle trade and called for closer Britain-EU cooperation to support jobs, investment and supply chain resilience.